Thus, Bonanza at the Beach was conceived, aptly named for its location between Myrtle Beach and Charleston along the South Carolina coast. This event promised to be a true service bonanza, with multiple schools converging on the city, simultaneously pooling their efforts to help Habitat Georgetown in the ReStore, on the build site and with neighborhood cleanup in the West End neighborhood.

Collegiate Challenge brought together the University of New England, North Central College, the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg and Eastern Connecticut State University for Habitat Georgetown’s event, totaling 61 student volunteers.

Putting the work in

The participants first worked at the local Habitat ReStore with a staff member, Wendy. Dividing into groups, students from various schools transformed sections of the store into inviting showrooms for the store’s patrons. Particularly noteworthy was their creation of a book section complete with a homemade sign featuring a quote from Jane Austen, adding a delightful literary charm to the space.

Transitioning to the build site days later, Johnson and other students constructed windowsills and a shed for a home. Speaking of the experience, she said, “People spend all of this time doing this work, and it’s not easy to do, so to see that we could volunteer our time … was really impactful.”

Johnson and her peers also worked on the West End Community Garden, helping to clean up and prepare for planting. Amid their service, they engaged in social media challenges orchestrated by Habitat Georgetown’s development director, Liz. Competing daily, students crafted content showcasing their experiences, vying for Habitat swag and expanding awareness of Habitat’s mission.

As their service drew to a close, students gathered for a low country meal at the local Moose Lodge, savoring shrimp boil and engaging in games like cornhole and horseshoes. Amidst the festivities, moments of reflection surfaced. When prompted by Habitat Georgetown to share their thoughts, both volunteers and staff came forward.

“Five or six different students … talked about how great it was to collaborate with the other schools and see other students doing the same thing they were…it was just absolutely mind-blowing. And on top of all that, the quietest person at our affiliate…got on the microphone and gave a very emotional inspirational speech to all the kids, thanking them for coming down. And it’s just seeing that spread, the joy between the affiliate, the [Collegiate Challenge] volunteers and the regular volunteers … it was awesome,” said Rigopoulos.

Continuing connections

Johnson’s group returned home at the end of the service deeply impacted. Beyond social media, Johnson forged meaningful connections during her experience. No longer a newcomer to Habitat for Humanity, she decided to do a research project on Habitat for one of her classes. Viewing Habitat as a potential long-term community partner for her student group of around 150, she has considered making Collegiate Challenge Breakaway’s official out-of-state service experience. Beyond the club, she has even thought about Habitat playing a role in her future career in some capacity.

Volunteers like the Breakaway group, along with dedicated staff, embody the spirit of Collegiate Challenge and fuel its success. Reflecting on the event, Jacob envisions expanding it in the future and encourages creativity among affiliates who want to do something similar.

“Every affiliate can showcase different program aspects and utilize available resources. Focus on upcoming programs needing extra help. It’s not just random volunteers; they know about Habitat and are willing to work. Tap into that willingness. Don’t be afraid to be creative and add some extra elements, like a mid-event party.”

In the world of service and community, the Collegiate Challenge service opportunities hosted by Habitat for Humanity Georgetown stand as a beacon of hope and empowerment for the next generation of volunteers. As youth like Johnson and leaders like Rigopoulos weave their experiences into the fabric of change, they leave a lasting mark on their communities and beyond. 

To learn more about planning your own Collegiate Challenge experience, please reach out to [email protected] or visit the Collegiate Challenge page.

Habitat’s capacity building program adapts PASSA, a community participatory model developed by the Red Cross, for use in Puerto Rico via a web-based toolkit, Construir en Communidad. Utilized by community organizations to develop risk-reduction projects, the toolkit includes explanatory videos and techniques for effective community meetings and activities, guides to increase the safety of homes against natural hazards, and more.

With the toolkit as a guide, Parceleras Afrocaribeñas developed the action plan for the energy hub in response to power outages affecting the local community. Power outages during storms have become a common occurrence for residents in Puerto Rico, especially after Hurricane Maria.

“In moments of energetic collapse, many people in our community didn’t have anywhere to go to charge their devices and equipment to alleviate the stress that not having electricity obviously causes,” says Mapenzi.

A safe place to shelter

Parceleras Afrocaribeñas received a US$20,000 grant from Habitat to help make their plan for the energy hub a reality. The solar-powered hub includes safety windows and doors that help it function as a shelter during storms, and it will include a refrigerator to store medicine.  

“Because of its security windows and doors, storm shutters, solar energy and elevation, it is an important safe space in our community in response to hurricane season,” Mapenzi says.